…so appropriate that the Church make a way to recognize each individual as a valuable child of God. Perhaps there is someone in your congregation who has a disability and who needs to know that he or she, too, has a purpose, and God has a plan for them. Brian Dykema is pastor of Johnstown Reformed Church in New York. …
…children with disabilities. She had personal experience, having raised a child with Prader-Willi Syndrome.” Juncosa also teaches special needs children in the Kinnelon school district, and volunteers as the church’s advocate for the RCA’s Disability Concerns ministry. But the idea needed to germinate. “It took a while for consistory and congregation to understand the meaning of such an idea—and I believed…
…but I would send him home with some food. Thus began our friendship. At the time, Clayton was working for a mechanic who was “advocating” for Clayton and his mom. The “advocate” would cash their disability checks and pay some of their bills. I spent years trying to convince Clayton that he was being used for his money. It wasn’t…
…for Local Missional Engagement and special projects Anna Radcliffe Coordinator for Next Generation Engagement Andrew Bossardet Coordinator for equipping thriving congregations Rick DeBruyne Moderator for the Commission on Race and Ethnicity Terry DeYoung Coordinator for Disability Concerns Earl James Coordinator for African American Black Council and Advocacy En Young Kim Supervisor of RCA mission in Asia and the Pacific Coordinator…
…sign language, and I’m trying to switch it around. Trying to put them on paper sometimes gets a little confusing.” Watch a video of a PDC member signing “Great Is Thy Faithfulness” on the RCA Today app. Learn more about commissioned pastors at www.rca.org/commissionedpastors. Email disability@rca.org to learn how your congregation can become more inclusive of people who are deaf….
…the director of mission engagement. In this role he coordinated the work of the mission initiatives within Transformed & Transforming: Global Missional Engagement, Local Missional Engagement, Volunteer Engagement, Missional Mosaic, Church Multiplication, and Disability Concerns. He also served as coordinator for the RCA’s African American Black Council (AABC). “Tony established a grander vision of mission for the RCA that did…
…infused with the gospel. Last August, Faith hosted Joni Eareckson Tada, founder and CEO of Joni and Friends, an organization focused on advancing disability ministry. Eareckson Tada preached during the worship service and facilitated several small groups, both with Reflectors and with Overcomers. On Faith’s Dyer campus, Reflectors also meets every other Wednesday for food, activities, and a time for…
…says DeJong. “They are hearing and seeing and feeling God’s love. To see them get that—maybe for the first time—makes it all worth it.” CONNECT Have you wondered how your church can keep its baptismal promises to the children and adults in your congregation who have disabilities? Terry DeYoung, coordinator for Disability Concerns, is available to brainstorm with you….
…the Deaf.” His exploration quickly led him to DOOR International, an organization with a vision to plant churches among Deaf communities globally and to translate the Bible into the more than 300 sign languages worldwide. A dialogue grew between DOOR and advisory teams for the RCA and the Christian Reformed Church in North America, including Disability Concerns and RCA Global…
…help adults is by demonstrating the courage to take risks. Another breakout session featured Joanne Van Sant, who spoke on giving voice to “uniquely abled” people. Van Sant serves as pastor of Friends to Friends Community Church in Ridgewood, New Jersey, where on any given Sunday more than 80 people who have a disability come to worship. “That tells you…
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